UX studio
No interface work starts until the research phase closes — a Budapest rule.
Founded 2013 | Budapest, Hungary | 60–71 employees
product-designux-researchweb-design
What is UX studio?
David Pasztor founded UX studio in Budapest, Hungary in 2013; the team has since grown to 60–71 people depending on source. The entire studio runs on research coming first, applied specifically to B2B SaaS products complex enough that jumping straight into interface design would be a mistake — a methodology genuinely comparable in rigor to Phenomenon Studio's own discovery-first approach.
UX studio works primarily with clients in SaaS / B2B software sectors. Its primary differentiator is: A research-first methodology comparable in rigor to Phenomenon Studio's own discovery-first approach, applied specifically to complex B2B SaaS products.
UX studio tech stack and services
FigmaDovetailMazeMiro
| Service area |
|---|
| Product Design |
| UX Research |
| Web Design |
UX studio pricing
Short answer: UX studio uses a fixed project, dedicated team pricing approach. Minimum engagement starts at $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable).
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed project | From $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable) | Well-defined scope |
| Dedicated team | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
UX studio does not publish a public rate card. Contact them directly via their website to get project-specific pricing.
UX studio pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +A genuine research-first specialty, evidenced by the studio's own published case studies, not just marketing copy | -Exclusive B2B SaaS focus means less fit for consumer, healthcare, or fintech-specific projects |
| +Over a decade of continuous operation (since 2013) under its founding team | -The research-first approach can extend project timelines for clients wanting to move straight to UI |
| +Focused specifically on B2B SaaS, giving real depth in untangling complex product workflows | -$20K minimum engagement (per company website; independently unverifiable) is mid-tier, not the cheapest option here |
| +60–71 person team is large enough for multi-workstream engagements while staying boutique in culture |
UX studio vs alternatives
How UX studio compares to the other top Product Design studios.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenomenon Studio | Direct access to senior people, no account layers. | Structured as an actual studio — senior specialists working directly with clients, no account-management layer — rather than a large agency that happens to use the word 'studio' | 4.9 | Full comparison |
| IDEO | Enterprises, multi-year design transformation programs. | The firm whose 1991 formation is most credited with establishing human-centered design as a formal discipline, still running roughly 24 studios worldwide | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Accenture Song | Regulated enterprises, design within tech transformation. | 36 studios and 2,000+ specialists operating inside Accenture — the largest global footprint and compliance coverage in this list | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Work & Co | Premium brands, design plus production-grade engineering. | A client roster (Apple, IKEA, Nike, Disney) that outpaces its ~425-person headcount, delivered through an engineering-heavy design-and-build model | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| MetaLab | Funded SaaS/fintech, full-stack design partner. | A Slack/Uber/Coinbase/Midjourney-caliber portfolio built by a 160-person studio, delivered full-stack from research through design systems | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Clay | B2B SaaS, AI, fintech — big-tech client credibility. | An unusually large enterprise client roster (Coinbase, Meta, Google, Slack) for a studio that doesn't publish its own founding year or team size | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| ustwo | Enterprise/consumer teams, two decades of product craft. | One of the few studios on this list that ships both enterprise client work and its own award-winning consumer product, Monument Valley | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Postlight | Media, publishing, finance — now NTT DATA-backed. | A publishing- and finance-heavy client list (Reuters, Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs) built as an independent studio, now backed by NTT DATA's global engineering scale | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Pentagram | Brands wanting identity, packaging, digital design. | A 24-partner, no-CEO structure unique among the studios in this list, and the world's largest independent design consultancy by its own claim | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Fireart Studio | Startups/mid-market, design plus full development. | 700+ delivered projects for 200+ clients backed by an independently-verified 'Leading UX Design Team' Clutch recognition | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Qubstudio | Fintech, logistics, healthcare — MVP to enterprise redesign. | Currently Clutch's #1-ranked UX/UI studio worldwide for 2026, with Red Dot Design Award recognition layered on top | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Excited | SaaS/fintech teams, Clutch-ranked at accessible rates. | A sustained Top 5 global UX studio ranking on Clutch, with about 70% of reviews specifically citing quality and creativity | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Gapsy Studio | Fintech, SaaS, healthcare — perfect-rated boutique. | A perfect 5.0/5.0 Clutch rating across 52 reviews, backed by 13+ international awards, from a studio that doesn't publish its own headcount | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Goji Labs | Startups and nonprofits, strategy-led design. | A 2025 Inc. 5000 honoree that explicitly serves nonprofits and individual entrepreneurs, not only funded startups | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Eleken | SaaS teams, subscription-based embedded designer. | A SaaS-only subscription embedded-designer model (~$6,599/month) with a 4.9 Clutch rating across 200+ projects | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| UXDA | Banks and fintech, exclusively financial-services UX. | The only studio in this list exclusively focused on financial services UX, with 150+ banking and fintech platforms shaped across 39 countries | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Onething Design | Multi-vertical companies, one studio across five industries. | Covers five distinct industries — BFSI, consumer, enterprise, healthcare, automotive — from one team with both US and India delivery presence | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Halo Lab | E-commerce and web-app teams, #1 Dribbble studio. | Currently the #1-ranked Dribbble Team globally, backed by 70+ design awards and a 4.9 Clutch rating | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| ANML | B2B, healthcare, AI startups — small senior team. | One of the smallest teams in this list, offering the highest senior-to-client ratio for B2B, healthcare, and AI work | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Momentum Design Lab | Clients wanting a long-tenured Silicon Valley studio. | Nearly a quarter-century of continuous operation, one of the oldest studios in this list by founding date | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Spaceberry Studio | Budget-conscious SaaS/AI teams, low-commitment subscription. | One of the most accessible entry points in this list via a subscription model rather than a large upfront fixed-price contract | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| The Gradient | Fintech, healthcare, retail — AI-native, limited roster. | A deliberately small, AI-native studio with a notable client list (Qatar Airways, Philips, Daimler AG) unusual for its self-limited scale | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Orbix Studio | Seed-to-Series-B startups, founder-close young team. | The newest studio in this list, built specifically around the seed-to-Series-B funded startup stage | 3.6 | Full comparison |
UX studio FAQ
What is UX studio?
No interface work starts until the research phase closes — a Budapest rule.
How much does UX studio charge?
UX studio uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing. Minimum engagement starts at $20K (per company website; independently unverifiable). A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does UX studio use?
UX studio works with Figma, Dovetail, Maze, Miro. Primary industries served include SaaS / B2B software.
Is UX studio right for enterprise?
Complex B2B SaaS, research-first before UI work. 60–71 team size. Key consideration: Exclusive B2B SaaS focus means less fit for consumer, healthcare, or fintech-specific projects.
What are the best UX studio alternatives?
The best alternatives to UX studio depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Phenomenon Studio: structured as an actual studio — senior specialists working directly with clients, no account-management layer — rather than a large agency that happens to use the word 'studio'
- IDEO: the firm whose 1991 formation is most credited with establishing human-centered design as a formal discipline, still running roughly 24 studios worldwide
- Accenture Song: 36 studios and 2,000+ specialists operating inside accenture — the largest global footprint and compliance coverage in this list
Compare UX studio with other Product Design studios
UX studio vs Phenomenon Studio UX studio vs IDEO UX studio vs Accenture Song UX studio vs Work & Co UX studio vs MetaLab UX studio vs Clay UX studio vs ustwo UX studio vs Postlight UX studio vs Pentagram UX studio vs Fireart Studio UX studio vs Qubstudio UX studio vs Excited UX studio vs Gapsy Studio UX studio vs Goji Labs UX studio vs Eleken UX studio vs UXDA UX studio vs Onething Design UX studio vs Halo Lab UX studio vs ANML UX studio vs Momentum Design Lab UX studio vs Spaceberry Studio UX studio vs The Gradient UX studio vs Orbix Studio
Verify all details directly with UX studio before making a decision.